VP, WM Litigation Attorney

Company Profile

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, and individuals from more than 1,200 offices in 43 countries.

As a market leader, the talent and passion of our people is critical to our success. Together, we share a common set of values rooted in integrity, excellence, and strong team ethic. Morgan Stanley can provide a superior foundation for building a professional career - a place for people to learn, achieve and grow. A philosophy that balances personal lifestyles, perspectives and needs is an important part of our culture.

Department Profile

Professionals within Legal and Compliance provide a wide range of services to our business units. They might help to structure a complex and sensitive cross-border transaction; advise on a new product introduction; develop a training program or defuse an investor dispute. They preserve the firm’s invaluable reputation for integrity and protect the firm from sanctions with policies and procedures that meet regulatory requirements around the world. They also strive to maintain cooperative relationships with governmental policy makers and the regulatory and self-regulatory agencies that govern the firm’s businesses.

Wealth Management Litigation has 14 trial lawyers in three states. The group handles litigation and regulatory enforcement matters for the Wealth Management Division of Morgan Stanley and its digital direct business through E*TRADE, as well as providing litigation support for other client-facing businesses. The Florida Unit currently has four lawyers covering matters arising out of Morgan Stanley branches in the Southeast Region, E*TRADE and certain other client-facing business.

Position Responsibilities

Morgan Stanley is seeking an experienced litigation attorney to handle a docket of arbitrations, civil litigations and regulatory enforcement investigations and inquiries for its Wealth Management business. This includes matters related to the Firm’s broker-dealers, investment advisers, banks, digital platforms such as E*TRADE, and other entities. The position requires strong oral and written advocacy, analytical skills, creativity, and the ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and regulators. Candidates must be able to manage independently a large volume of diverse matters, including arbitrations before FINRA Dispute Resolution; civil litigations in state and federal court; and regulatory enforcement matters and investigations conducted by the SEC, FINRA, DOJ and state regulators. Experience defending claims in trial and/or arbitration and handling regulatory enforcement matters is essential. This is a hands-on litigation position, but the attorney will also direct and supervise a variety of outside counsel for certain matters. Success in this environment requires the candidate to be self-motivated, independent, and resourceful, as most matters are staffed and handled in-house with one lawyer, but also to work as part of a team. The senior attorney will interface with front office clients as well as partners in Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations, Technology, and other departments at the Firm. The position includes administrative responsibilities for case management and other internal and external reporting related to matters.

What You’ll Do:

• Litigate disputes in arbitration and state and federal courts, including responsibilities for strategy, case investigation, legal research, drafting and arguing motions, managing discovery, preparation of witnesses, and preparing and conducting arbitrations
• Handle SEC, FINRA, DOJ and state regulatory investigations and enforcement matters, including responsibilities for strategy, case investigation, interviewing and preparing witnesses, and drafting written responses to and interacting with regulators/government attorneys
• Represent Morgan Stanley and E*TRADE and current and former employees in FINRA arbitrations, court proceedings, mediations, and regulatory matters
• Analyze and evaluate litigation and/or regulatory risks and recommend solutions to manage and minimize those risks
• Provide legal advice on ad hoc matters to internal business clients, Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations, Technology, and other departments at the Firm
• Analyze and escalate operational risks identified through litigation and regulatory investigations
• Collaborate cross-functionally with colleagues in Legal, Compliance, Risk, Operations, Technology, and other departments at the Firm
• Manage and partner with outside counsel in select litigation matters
• Conduct internal and external regulatory reporting

What You Bring:

• Member of the Florida Bar
• 5+ years of litigation experience, preferably including experience at a top-tier law firm, government trial attorney, regulatory enforcement attorney or in-house counsel
• Significant experience working on trials, arbitrations, law and motion hearings, other hearing experience and/or mediations
• Regulatory investigations/enforcement experience and/or experience conducting internal investigations
• Work independently, as most matters are staffed with one lawyer
• Skilled and persuasive negotiator
• Strong oral and written advocacy skills
• Strategic, analytical thinker and creative problem solver
• Tenacious and determined
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to work with clients, colleagues, regulators, and counsel at every level
• Detail-oriented and organized with strong time and case management systems
• Handle a large volume of diverse matters with minimal support and direction

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work.

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Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents.

Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences.

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